


On a Wing and a Quinn

by Belegmor



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Action/Adventure, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 18:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12488332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Belegmor/pseuds/Belegmor
Summary: Quinn and Valor trust each other with their lives, and they prove that every day working behind enemy lines. Their bond is a unique one, especially since the bird has a high opinion of himself. It's warranted... but Quinn isn't about to tell him that. One thing is certain: with missions all over Runeterra, their teamwork will be tested unlike ever before.





	1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Special shoutout to V Parallel for the betareading and all around help with getting this story off the ground!

* * *

The commander held up his fist, stopping his troops from advancing. The soldiers crouched down, hidden behind the trees and foliage of the forest.

He was sure he'd heard a noise; more specifically, a woman's voice. And if that was correct, it could only be the target of the mission. No one else was supposed to be within ten kilometres of this area. But after a stretch of silence, he gave the signal to move forward.

His soldiers hiked through the forest, moving with as much stealth as they could muster. This was a squad that was used to marching through open countryside in heavy plate armour, not sneaking around the forest in thin leather armour. They didn't have to be concerned with swords and axes slapping against metal, but the forest had no roads. Branches, underbrush, shrubbery, all conspired-

"-quit fussing already, you're not my mother!"

His hand shot up again. He knows he heard her, and with a quick look at his troops, they confirmed it. They moved more swiftly, now that they knew where their target was. With more noise, too, the commander noted, but they had done pretty well considering the non-stealth focus of the squad of eleven.

The target was noted to be an amateur, though they didn't have an extensive profile. They knew that, and didn't try to be as silent as possible. She wasn't as skilled as the Demacian Elite closing in on her; his troops had been more focused on finding her than actually subduing her. The hard part was over.

They continued through the forest until movement caught his eye. His hand shot up.

"Give it a rest. It's just a flesh wound."

She looked alone, and was talking to herself, sitting on a log with her back to the approaching troops. His hand spread out, instructing his team to do the same. They formed a half circle in the woman's blind spot.

She suddenly shot up to her feet. "Do not tell me I'm bullheaded!" she shouted. "They barely scratched me!"

He had no idea who she was yelling at; the only other things he'd heard or seen were some birds and his own troops. She was clearly agitated, and possibly insane, but still facing away from them. This would be easy.

They continued to advance until they were about four trees deep from the clearing. It was a clear shot right to her. She wasn't even armed, as a crossbow and a pair of daggers were on a stump a few feet from her. The commander held up his fingers, and starting counting down to zero.

"Don't give me that look!" The woman had curled her hands into fists, seemingly shouting into the sky.

His hand turned into a fist. His men yelled and charged, letting adrenaline propel them forward.

Hesitation quickly rippled through the squad as a rope tightened around a soldier's ankle, jerking her into the air.

Confusion followed as another man was flipped upside down and pulled several feet off the earth.

Another disappeared into a hole in the ground with a yelp and loud thud.

More sharp cries and sudden noises followed, halting the charge forward. As the commander's adrenaline calmed down, he took stock of his surroundings. Half of his troops were snared by rope and upside down, while the other half were hidden in holes deep enough for two or three soldiers each. In a span of about fifteen seconds, he was alone on his feet.

And she was  _laughing._

He stared dumbfounded as a large blue eagle glided down to her eye level, circling the woman... wait, was it smiling? It landed on the stump where her weapons were, pointed his gold-tipped wing to her... did they just  _fist pump?_

She turned her head towards the lone standing soldier, her laughing fit calming down as she looked at him with her yellow eyes.

"Oh, they'll be fine! This was all Val's idea!" she said, her body quite animated. "Just starting yelling so you'd find me, and keep my back to you the entire time. He's actually kinda strategic, though he can't tie a knot to save his own life." The eagle gave a quick squawk, flew up to her head and grabbed a beak full of purple hair, tugging on it.

"Valor!" she chided, her hands going up to bat the eagle away.

The commander slowly walked forward, an eye now looking for ropes and oddly worked ground in front of him. By the time he got to the clearing, Valor had perched himself back on the stump, puffing out his chest and looking quite full of himself.

The commander looked at her again.

"Also, Garen, Valor wanted to tell you that he is an Azurite eagle, not a Demacian eagle. To kinda quote the bird, they were around far longer than Demacia and are more majestic than anything-"  _SQUAWK!_ "Sorry, more honourable-"  _Squawk._ "...dignified?"  _Squawk._  She snapped her fingers. "Magnificent!" Valor shook his head. "Ok, what we have here is a breakdown of communication."  _Squawk._  She looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "You know I can't read your mind right?"

Garen hid his face in his palm. "Quinn, you can't possibly be serious."

She looked back at him. "What? Communication is important." Valor gave a quick nod. Quinn smiled and gave his head a quick scratch. "It did take a bit more time to make the traps less... jerky? I didn't want to hurt the men, just show them what's up. Or what's down, since they are upside down." She elbowed Valor, who rolled his eyes. "Shush bird, that was clever."

A thump behind Garen made him turn around, showing that one soldier had cut himself loose, with others working to do the same. Some of them had climbed out of the trap holes, helping others to follow.

"Well, were upside down. They look fine, just as I planned!" Valor made a noise, grabbing her attention as he pointed his beak to his thighs. "Good point Val, they might have sore groins from the traps. Do guys get more groin injuries? Well, not all of them are guys, but is that a problem? Like I said, I tried to make the traps less jerky since they're allies. Took me an extra day, really." Valor smacked her in the face with a wing. "Okay, took  _us_  an extra day. I guess you gathered stuff to cover the holes and choose some less bendy trees for the snares. It's quite tricky, you know, to change the tension-"

Garen cleared his throat, stopping Quinn's rant. "What about the Noxian patrol you were ordered to find and eliminate?"

She snapped her fingers. "Right! I have a full mission statement ready for you! I wrote it all down, somewhere. Didn't want to forget any details." As Quinn began searching pouches on her belt, a loud curse behind them caught his attention. One soldier had dropped her weapon when the rope had grabbed her, and she was having a hell of a time trying to untie it. Garen started moving towards her when a bolt flew through the air, missing the rope.

"Dammit." Quinn was doing something akin to chuckling as Quinn took another shot, fraying the rope enough for the soldier to crash to the ground. "Hush your beak Valor and fetch those bolts for me? I guess a few lost their weapons, so may as well help them out by shooting them down." Quinn took aim, then hesitated, lowering the crossbow. "Well...actually, would that hurt them more than the...jerk? There has to be a better word to use then jerk."  _Squawk._  "Yeah, don't want them thinking I'm calling them jerks."

Garen unsheathed his large sword and shook his head. "I've think you've done quite enough, Ranger. I will cut them down." He furrowed his brow as he stared into Quinn's eyes. "And it's Commander, Sir."

Quinn saluted, with Valor mimicking the action. "Sorry, Sir. Commander. Sir." Valor poked her in the ribs with his wing. There was no way it hurt her with her scout armour on, but she still flicked his head while holding the salute.

Garen started towards the closest soldier. Once his remaining men were cut down and fished out of holes, they were all going to listen to the entire mission statement, and maybe they might just learn something from this woman. This woman and her bird, who baited twelve elite Demacian soldiers into traps without even drawing a weapon.

_Alright,_   _maybe Quinn deserves a spot in the Demacian army._


	2. Chapter 2

Quinn sat down on the stump, waiting for Garen to get his squad out of the traps she and Valor had set. It had only been a minute or so of waiting, but Valor was getting impatient. He was perched on her shoulder, leaning against her, and butting his head into her repeatedly.

"It's not my fault they're so slow." Valor leaned away and looked her right in the eyes. "Okay, maybe it is. But only half." Valor looked shocked, his beak open in surprise. "This was your idea. You have to take some responsibility." Valor shook his head. "Oh no, you are  _not_  going to throw me under the carriage. Garen already knows you started this."

"Ranger."

Quinn looked forward, seeing everybody was now free of the snares and pits, and were standing at attention.

"I am honoured to introduce to you some of Dauntless Vanguard, Demacia's elite force." Garen was beaming with pride as he looked to the soldier on his far right. "This is Evan, second in command. To his left is Marc, Captain. To his left-"

"Don't worry about it, I'll forget their names in five minutes anyways," Quinn blurted out, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. Awkward silence ruled the moment until it dawned on Quinn exactly what she said. She smacked her own forehead with her palm. "Foot, meet mouth. Mouth, foot."

Valor looked at Garen, rotated his head to look at Quinn, then with a shrug of his shoulders, flew off into the sky. Quinn jumped to her feet. "Oh you get back here, if I have to deal with this, so should you!"

"Ranger." Garen's irritated tone caught her attention. "Your report."

Quinn took a breath, trying to think of proper military etiquette.  _Let's try and be professional for a moment, eh?_  "Yes sir." She fished out the report she had put back into one of her belt pouches. "Isn't this usually done in Demacia City? At the military headquarters?"

"Yes it is," Garen said. "However, you took down all of these Dauntless Vanguard soldiers." He turned to face his troops. "You never even looked at them. So they are going to stand at attention during the entire report, they are going to listen, and perhaps, they are going to learn something from this."

"Commander, Sir, this report details a few days. It may take a while."

"I expected as such, Ranger. You may shorten it if you wish, but make sure not to leave out important details."

Quinn looked at the squad. Most had contempt in their eyes; others, defeat. Their commanding officer was forcing them to stand at attention, as a peasant girl, with a bird as a partner, told them how she trapped them all.

_This is probably as close to torture as some of these men are ever going to get, being forced to listen to my report._ Quinn smiled.  _I am going to enjoy every last second of this._

"Yes Sir. Here is my report."

* * *

The full moon illuminated the forest with its pale light. A woman with short purple hair looked up at its beauty, seeing the silhouette of an eagle flying away through its radiance.

She held her hand up to the moon... and gave it the finger.

_Stupid full moon lighting up everything. Wasn't supposed to be a full moon for another two goddamn days but nooooo. 'Your mission will not overlap with the full moon' they said. First solo mission and they screw up the lunar phase! Are they trying to set me up for failure?_

Quinn leaned against a tree, adjusting her scout armour with a sigh. Although functional, it was generic, and wasn't fitted to her properly. The uniform was comprised of basic leather pants, a leather breastplate over a tunic, and leather gloves, all designed for the average soldier. It was more protective than the leather armour she had before coming to Demacia City, but she was not used to it.

_Assuming they give me a job after I complete this mission, I'm going to ask for an advance so I can blow it all on a good set of armour. Custom made, custom fitted, that would feel just beautiful. I can live off the forest for a month or so._

She moved forward, her eyes scanning the forest for clues and dangers. It was only a few minutes of walking before she knelt to the ground, seeing heavy footsteps. They were easy to spot in the moonlight, and she knew she was advancing on the patrol.

Didn't mean she liked it.

_Stupid moon, making me feel exposed._ She kept her eyes to the ground, looking for more signs of her targets.  _Wait, isn't there some moon deity or goddess? Am I cursing myself? She big on vengeance? Am I just-_

A twig snapped nearby, making Quinn crouch and freeze in place. Her eyes scanned the surroundings until she saw the culprit: a deer, also frozen in place. Their eyes met for a moment before the animal bolted away.  _Point taken, moon. Time to focus._

A glance to the heavens showed Valor returning. He dipped his right wing and did two quick circles in the air before hovering for a moment.  _Two hours away, give or take. They have also stopped, probably to set up camp._

Quinn concentrated on keeping silent as she followed the tracks, Valor flying off to continue scouting. At least an hour had passed when Quinn sat against a rock, taking a small break. She couldn't be far from the Noxian patrol she was tracking, and she wanted to be alert when she found them.

Valor dive-bombed just above her head, then spread his wings to glide down beside her. She glared at him; unless he had something to tell, he shouldn't have quickly dove to stay out of sight.  _Sometimes I swear this bird is just showing off._

Valor landed, looked into her eyes, then pointed his right wing in the direction she had come.  _Did they expect a tracker? Are we being flanked?_  Quinn showed the worry in her eyes, but Valor shook his head. He puffed up his golden-coloured chest, raised his head up, and started to... march?

Quinn watched for a moment, raising a very suspicious eyebrow towards her partner. She leaned in closer to him, "Valor, you look as ridiculous as Garen does," she whispered. Valor relaxed and nodded his head, pointing his wing again where she had come from.

Quinn looked in the direction Valor indicated.  _Garen is following me. Well, us. Why would Garen be behind us?_ She thought of possible reasons, then frowned.  _They don't think I can handle it. He's the insurance policy. If I screw up, he cleans up._

She nodded at Valor. "Let's prove they wasted time in sending backup."

* * *

Four men could be seen; two of them were sitting on a downed tree to the left of the fire, while another was sitting on the ground opposite of them. The fourth was laying on a blanket on his back, away from the others. All of them were wearing leather armour, not all that different from what she was wearing. The man laying down had even taken off his armour, laying in just cloth pants and shirt. She stared at him intently, looking for movement. His chest raised and lowered in a slow rhythm. He was sleeping, and would be the last threat.

The three others were in conversation as they passed a bottle around. It looked like an ordinary container, so Quinn wasn't sure what was inside. If it was alcohol, it would only help, and if it wasn't, well, men still grew tired. She would observe for now, making sure nothing was missed and no other men were nearby.

As she watched, and waited, two things happened. The first was expected: Valor circled over her, wanting to know what they were doing. She held up her index finger, knowing even in the shadows of the trees, he could see it, and knew they were waiting.

The second was not expected. As the men's voices grew louder, almost guaranteeing the bottle was full of alcohol, a fifth man walked into the clearing. She had not seen evidence of a fifth man, nor did Valor give any signal of it. Glad she had waited, Quinn gave herself a mental reminder to talk about it with Valor, but not scold him. She wasn't perfect either.

Luckily, whatever this man had been doing was moot, for he quickly joined the three around the fire and stole the bottle. A large swig followed, along with much laughter from all four as he sat down on the tree between the two. They were basically doing her job for her at this point, but she wasn't quite sure when to strike. The man lying on the ground was still sleeping, and the four were still drinking, but either could change quickly.

Valor had circled another two times, at which point they communicated that both of them could see five soldiers and no more. The bottle had to be running low, and they might start to gain some awareness. She decided the waiting was over, and it was time to act.

Valor flew overhead once more, prompting her to give the thumbs up, point to the left, and hold three fingers up. He flew off past the Noxians.

Quinn had a few seconds to go over her plan. Valor would distract and focus on the three men on the left of the fire. As he did that, she would fire a bolt into the throat of the man on the right, then the sleeping man. They would die or bleed out, not being able to make much sound. She would have three bolts left in her repeater crossbow's magazine. With a drawn out pull of the trigger, she could fire them all in rapid succession instead of just one. If she aimed well enough, the volley would hit each man, and if they did not kill, they would at least slow. She would then reload and finish them, or use her twin daggers to finish off the rest.

She brought her crossbow up to her left hand as she stayed on her stomach in the forest's shade. She aimed at the sitting man. Valor would not be long.

His screech pierced the air. All the men turned to the far side of the clearing as Valor made a grand entrance, flying through the trees and spreading his wings. His golden chest and golden-tipped wings surrounded by blue feathers were majestic-looking in the firelight.

The first bolt flew through the air, piercing the man's throat. He brought his hand up to feel the wood in his neck, looking towards Quinn, unable to make any significant sound. She didn't look into his eyes as she got to her knees, firing the second bolt into the sleeping man. He had woken up, but it didn't matter. Another hand went to a throat as it was pierced, and again, little sound was made.

She got to her feet and aimed at the three remaining. Valor was within arm's reach of them now, swiping his claws and screeching as sharply as he could to keep their attention on him. Quinn held the trigger on her crossbow, firing a quick volley of her remaining bolts. The moment they flew, Valor launched himself into the air and out of the line of fire.

However, the man closest to Quinn had seen his ally fall. He saw that the bolt came from the opposite direction, and launched himself to the ground. The volley of three hit the other two men, but all Quinn could tell was that they both fell to the ground. The first man quickly got to his feet and sprinted at her, a small axe in hand. She dropped her crossbow and grabbed her daggers, widening her stance, preparing for him as she trusted Valor to keep the other men occupied.

The man swung his axe at her head. Quinn took a step forward, ducking it and letting the man go past her. She rotated quickly, trying to drive her daggers into his kidneys, when she realized he wasn't standing; he was drunk enough that he had toppled to the ground after the missed strike.

Quinn stopped her attack, surprised that the man fell over of his own accord. This gave the man enough time to get back to his feet and try once more at her head. Refocused, she leaned on her back foot, the axe not long enough to strike her. Leaning forward once more, her left dagger slashed the man's throat while her right dagger pierced his heart. Pulling her daggers back to her, she made sure the man fell to the ground, then looked back to the clearing.

Valor was standing beside one man, his talons red with blood. He had ripped the man's throat out, likely as she was fighting the Noxian with the axe. He nodded in her direction, and she nodded back, kneeling beside the man she just killed. She held her fingers on the side of his neck, feeling for a pulse. When she found none, she stood up, grabbed her crossbow, and walked to the man who had been sleeping. No pulse. She walked to the sitting man. There was a weak pulse, which Quinn stopped by plunging her dagger into his heart. After a moment, she checked again. No pulse.

She walked to the two men by the log. Her volley had hit one of them in the heart, killing him. No pulse. The one Valor had killed was only hit in the shoulder, definitely not a fatal wound until Valor had finished him off. No pulse, but the man had a dagger in his hand, meaning he hadn't been as bad off as Quinn had first thought. She would have had to still focus on the man charging her, but she made a mental note of it. If Valor hadn't gotten to him first, the man could have joined the other and made things more difficult.

"Thanks Valor," she said as she sat down on the log. He smiled at her, then moved his left wing in the air, as if he was writing something. Quinn shook her head. "No way."

Valor tilted his head, then pointed at the dagger.

"Yeah I see it. Do you also see that it was the same arm that had a bolt in the shoulder? No way he could have used it properly." He crossed his wings in front of him. "Oh hell no, that is not going in the book! Even if he got up, which is unlikely, he probably couldn't throw the dagger, much less wield it. So no, you didn't save my life, and it's not going in the book."

Valor turned his head away from her, and puffed through his nostrils.

Quinn glared at him. "Suck it up, princess. Now, how long do you think it will take Garen and his merry men to get here?"

Valor looked back at her, and spread his wings, grabbing a feather with his beak and lightly tugging on it. He grabbed another feather and wiggled it, before doing something akin to shrugging his shoulders. The eagle starting walking, making as much noise as he possibly could.

"So one day for sure, probably two considering they are stumbling through the forest. Well screw it, I'm just going to wait for him then. We got a nice fire here, you can catch us some grub, and we can have a grand ole time. And we can be lazy until he gets here. Sound good?"

Valor nodded, looking at the fire. A quiet moment passed before Quinn shifted to the ground, leaning against the log. "I was kinda hoping you would get on that food part so I don't have to eat this jerky-"

Valor held his wing up to her face, interrupting her. Another quiet moment passed before he brought his wing down to look her in the eyes, his own lit up with devious intent.

"Oh, I know that look. What evil do you have planned now, bird?"

Valor walked a few steps away, then stared at her, making sure her eyes were on him. He put his claws down on a twig, snapping it before flipping himself upside down and actually pushing himself into the air with his wings. Quinn laughed at the sight as he righted himself. "So you want to set up branches for them to crack and make noise as they get here? That wouldn't flip them in the air-" Quinn snapped her fingers. "Oh...  _ohhhh..._ you are just the embodiment of the devil, Valor."

He nodded, bringing the tips of his wings to his head to make it look like he had horns.

"You want to trap them as they approach. Snares would flip them… could dig some holes too. Make sure they're well cushioned so the fall doesn't hurt too much." Standing up, Quinn looked around the edge of the clearing. "The axes they have could dig some holes. Will be kinda slow, but we have time. Should be able to find some young trees nearby too that will be less… bendy… because of smaller trunks. Don't want the jerk to hurt them."

Valor gasped and had a look of shock at his face.

"No, the jerk of the snare, not that they're jerks. Well, they are all kinda elitist jerks, but don't tell them that." Valor nodded. "Well, none of them talk to birds, so not like you  _can_  tell them that, but yeah."

Quinn leaned forward. "So how about this: you find us some food, I'll keep the fire going and see if these Noxians had anything of importance, and we'll start this caper in the morning?" Valor flapped his wings, immediately flying off in search of prey. Quinn chuckled.

"Garen won't like this. This is a terrible idea, to trap your own allies." Grabbing a nearby log and throwing it on the fire, Quinn nodded. "Which is why I have to do it." Standing up, Quinn began searching the nearest corpse for anything of note. "Is jerk the best way to describe what a snare does? Like it does, but gotta be a better word for it. Ah, don't worry about it Quinn, you got lots of time to think up a better one."

* * *

"We spent a day and a half, or so, setting up traps and getting the place all cleaned up. You know the rest." She looked up to the sky as Valor flew down, landing beside her. "I guess I never did think of a better word than jerk."

Garen and the Dauntless Vanguard were still standing at attention, Garen still looking like a paragon of strength. His soldiers, however, were definitely starting to slump and were quite unhappy with the situation of standing for hours listening to the report.

Quinn smiled again.  _Sweet, sweet poetic justice. I think. Is it poetic if it isn't a poem? Anyways, I dragged that out as long as I could. I'm an evil, evil woman._

"Very detailed report, Quinn. Make sure to repeat it to Prince Jarvan the Fourth."

She nodded. "That I can do, Commander." Garen's words fully registered with Quinn, who balked. "Wait, Prince Jarvan? I'm not meeting with the Prince. He didn't give me this mission, it was just some… uh… random people? Leader group? Council? I don't remember who they are, but it wasn't the Prince!"

A few soldiers smirked at Quinn's nervousness.

"I am well aware," Garen said, "however, my orders are from Prince Jarvan the Fourth. We were ordered to follow you and provide assistance on your mission. If you failed your mission, we were to complete it. If you complete it, I was told to bring you back to Demacia City to meet with Prince Jarvan the Fourth. He wants to hear your report and my assessment of your capabilities. Considering we fell two days behind and you completed your mission, there will be some positives in my assessment."

Valor squawked happily, but Quinn had no smile. Glowing words from Garen or not, she did not want any royal attention. Garen was bad enough with his by-the-book attitude. No doubt Jarvan was several times more insufferable.

"I don't think I deserve-"

"Prince Jarvan the Fourth has decreed it. You cannot deny the order, unless you want military discipline."

A very, very dry throat swallowed. She always thought Garen looked like a clown in his full set of armour with overcompensating shoulder plates, but in front of her, without the armour, he was physically imposing. She wanted to argue, but couldn't see a victory in it.

"We will set out in the morning," he said. "It has gotten late, and my soldiers do need some rest. However, I do have one question. You say you killed the five Noxians, but I see no evidence of blood or bodies. I do not doubt your report, but I want to know what you did."

Quinn sighed.  _Oh thank the Gods he isn't going to say Prince Jarvan the Fourth again. I can focus on something other than royalty for a moment._ "We moved the bodies to the other side of the clearing so you couldn't see them. Far as blood goes, we simply covered it up with loose grass and leaves. Pretty easy."

"Coleen, go and find the bodies." A female soldier nodded and marched into the forest in the direction Quinn pointed. It took only a few seconds to hear her voice. "Yes Commander, there are five bodies here. Give me a moment… it looks like the deaths match her description. I can do a more thorough inspection to confirm it if you would like."

"No need, soldier. Return."

"Yes Commander."

Once Coleen was back with the group, Garen turned towards them. "Alright soldiers, set up camp. You two, get a fire going. You four, unpack and get the tents pegged and up. You two, get the bed rolls ready-"

Quinn blinked a few times at Garen's orders.  _They actually brought all that stuff? Would also explain why they were so slow coming through the forest._  She looked at Valor. "How about it bird? We could throw a little backpack on you, and you could bring a tent and blankets for next time!"

Valor squawked and slapped Quinn in the face with a wing.

"So… is that a no?" Valor slapped her again. "Oh, go get some sleep. We got a long trip back tomorrow." Valor tilted his head. "Okay, some of us have a long trip back tomorrow. We can't all fly." Quinn laid on the ground, and whispered to Valor. "And while you're slowing flying around, find a way out of this meeting with the Prince. Royal attention… that's not why I came to Demacia City. I just want to help, not be… well..." Valor raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I don't know what they'll do, but I don't want it, okay? See what you can think up. You got a couple days."

Valor nodded, jumping onto the stump and letting his head droop, quickly falling asleep. Quinn closed her eyes, and soon followed.


	3. Chapter 3

The trip back to Demacia City was about as uneventful as Quinn expected. It was two full days of the exact same schedule: waking, eating, marching, resting, eating, marching, sleeping. It showcased Demacian military efficiency at it's finest.

And it was slow and boring as hell.

_I guess they're used to being in a large army, but they may as well be walking backwards. Valor and I could have arrived at the city a day ago. Gods, what if they put me in a squad like this instead of being, well, a ranger or somebody that works alone? What if they take Valor away?_ She shook her head.  _Don't be irrational, we're a package deal. Jarvan should know that._

Another few steps, and Quinn stopped moving.  _Oh dear god that's right I have to meet Jarvan. Do I have to dress fancy? Probably should at least wash myself and my armour… what if I don't impress him? Wait no, don't panic, you completed your mission with flying colours. No need to worry._   _Yeah, you completed your mission beautifully… and then trapped and made fools of his elite soldiers._

Holding up her right arm and letting out a quick whistle, Quinn slowed down to create distance. A moment later, Valor sailed down and gripped her right forearm, landing on it and tipping her forward.

"Whoa, easy on the claws there buddy! And the weight, you seem heavier." Valor quickly gave her a look and poked her stomach with his wing. "Oh I'm not fat and if you try that again, I'll beat your feathered ass!"

The soldiers looked back at her, then started to walk a little faster.

Quinn made sure they were out of earshot before speaking again. "So, have you thought of a way out of this princely meeting?" Valor shook his head. "Well that's just great." The eagle nodded his head. "No it's not actually great, you need to learn sarcasm, bird! Whatever, doesn't matter, I don't need the attention, I just want to do my own thing. Plus we trapped his soldiers with your bird brain plan."

Valor puffed out his chest and held his head up high.

A face met palm, then the face was shaken with a sigh. "We're doomed. Probably be charged with something." She pointed a finger in his face. "If we get executed, you're going to be my last meal." Valor gasped at her. "I bet you taste just like chicken. Well, if that's the case, maybe you should put on more weight, make it a good meal. Those giant wings probably don't have a lot of meat on them."

Valor started batting her head back and forth. "No, don't work the muscles, they make the meat less tender!"

"Quinn," Garen said with authority, stopping the duo. "March, soldier. We are only a few hours out."

She shifted her arm up, letting Valor launch himself into the air. "I know we're only a few hours out, I'm a tracker, you idiot," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

* * *

Demacia City, one of the most beautiful epicentres of Runeterra, was a bustling city filled with people and shops. Being home to the military headquarters and the royal palace, as well as an immense market and residential area, it was where a vast majority of the Demacian people lived. With a great white marble wall surrounding the city, it was a gleaming place of justice and security.

However, Quinn was still stressing out about the royal debriefing and a possible arrest, so she figuratively missed the forest for the trees. As her head was awash with thoughts of conduct, dress, and excuses not to be executed, she nearly walked into the back of a stationary Garen.

"Get your head together, soldier," he said. "You have a few minutes before Prince Jarvan the Fourth sees us, so do what you need to do."

"Wait, he wants to see us right now?"

"His orders were to meet with us when we returned."

"But… you can't be serious," Quinn said with her mouth agape, "I'm still covered in dirt, and I'm sure I smell like sweat and god knows what else."

"You do smell like sweat and blood, it is not a pleasant fragrance."

She glared at Garen. "Thanks for that."

"You may want to call down your bird. And if you lose the attitude for a moment, I would offer you some advice for meeting with the prince."

_Alright, maybe this will help._  A whistle filtered through the air. "I would be grateful."

Garen leaned in close to Quinn, who quickly pushed him back to give Valor space to land on her shoulder. "Sorry Garen. Go on."

He leaned back in. "Try to be more respectful to him then you were, and are, to me. Don't speak unless spoken to, and try to think about your words before you say them. Prince Jarvan the Fourth demands such actions. Follow my lead when we first enter, bowing and saluting when I do. You are most unorthodox Quinn, though you are skilled. Watch what I do, and you may find a place in Demacia's army."

_Well, I don't have to like the man, but I do respect him._ She nodded her head. "Thanks, Garen."

"It is my pleasure to mould you into a great soldier for Demacia."

_I regret the two words I just said._

Her eyes taking in the sights, Quinn realized they had walked through a good deal of Demacia City and had arrived at the military headquarters. So focused and stressed about the meeting with the Prince, she hadn't paid attention to her surroundings, which somewhat worried her. That was not par for the course for a scout. It was time to get her head on straight.

They stopped in front of a very wide set of marble stairs that led into the headquarters, an equally large building of similar white marble with four thick columns making up the entrance. It was all grand and extravagant, meant to instill pride and duty into the citizens. She had no doubt it was successful on most people, but she found it more unnecessary than anything.

Quinn walked up the stairs, entering into a foyer lined with red carpet, leading all the way to the other end where a white marble throne was located, flanked by heavily armoured guards with spears.  _Wonder if they knew they could use other building materials._

"Why isn't he on the throne? Isn't he expecting us?"

Garen sighed. "It's commander, sir. That throne is for the king of Demacia when he is attending military functions. Prince Jarvan the Fourth is not king." He starting walking to the right. "He will be in here," he said as they approached a wooden door, guarded by a soldier.

"Wow, a wooden door. Guess they didn't use marble for everything."

Garen and the guard looked at Quinn.

"I said that out loud, didn't I?" Valor took his wing and patted Quinn on the head. "Please don't patronize me here."

The guard cleared his throat. "Prince Jarvan the Fourth is waiting for you both, commander, sir." He opened the door and held it for them. Garen walked in.

Quinn took a deep breath. "No funny stuff Valor, okay?" He nodded. "Let's make a good impression."

She walked into the room, nearly taken off-guard by how normal it was. If the foyer was fit for a king, then this side-room was fit for the common man. A large wooden table centered the room, surrounded by chairs, with one man sitting with a quill and inkwell nearby. In each corner, a guard was standing at attention, but they did not catch Quinn's eye.

A man in heavy yellow plate armour stood at the table, his chiselled jaw and jet black hair giving away his identity. Horns seemed to adorn the metal at every corner, making him look intimidating, even if he didn't have his famed extendable spear in hand.

Garen saluted. "May I present Prince Jarvan Lightshield the Fourth, Exemplar of Demacia."

_Oh god his title is even longer._

Jarvan looked at Quinn, as if expecting something. Realization dawned on her as she shifted her feet together and went to salute with her right hand, only to squish Valor against her head. He squawked and jumped to her left shoulder as they both saluted, eliciting a smile from the prince.

"Valor, I presume?"

She shook her head. "It's Quinn, sir."

"That I know. I was referring to the eagle."

Somehow, Quinn kept her composure.  _I'm making a complete ass of myself._  "Sorry sir. Yes, this is Valor."

"It's fine, soldier. I am sure this is your first time being close to royalty."

"Actually, it's not, sir. I met King Jarvan the Third when I was young."

Jarvan raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You met my father? That is unexpected. What did he say to you?"

Quinn blushed slightly. "Well, we didn't talk, he was just marching through at the time… like, marching through with some troops back in Uwendale. I just saw him, didn't meet him really-"

Jarvan held up a hand, interrupting her. "Relax soldier. It's okay." He motioned to the seat opposite of him. "Let's get this debriefing under way. Take a seat."

Garen took a bow, which Quinn and Valor copied, before they both sat down. Valor left her shoulder to perch on top of the chair next to her, which promptly tipped over. He landed on the floor and looked around before jumping to the edge of the table.

Jarvan sat down and opened a file in front of him, clearing his throat. He looked to the man with the quill. "Make a note that if Quinn is accepted into the military, her companion will need a portable perch of some kind."

"Will do, sir."

"Begin taking minutes."

"Yes sir."

The Prince looked back to the file. "Quinn Venandi, age twenty-three. Born in Uwendale, Demacia. Petitioned to join the Demacian Army in June, Year 566 as part of the Ranger-Generals. Partnered with Valor, an eagle, as a two-man scouting team. Passed training in July, Year 566, with excellent scores in accuracy and tracking, with above average scores in all other aspects. Tracking score was augmented by Valor, therefore individual assessment may not reflect Miss Venandi's actual abilities. Of special note: uses a custom crossbow with magazines, much like a firearm, of five bolts per magazine. The crossbow can fire one bolt at a time, or in volleys of three, which would augment accuracy scores. Due to the crossbow not being standard issue, Miss Venandi will not be fully reimbursed for cost of ammunition." Jarvan looked up. "All of this is accurate, Miss Venandi?"

"Yes sir."

His eyes went back to the file. "Due to the unusual nature of the Quinn and Valor pairing, Demacia Military Command recommended a solo mission with backup to further determine strategic combat and survival capabilities. Quinn Venandi and Valor were given the mission to track a Noxian patrol spotted approximately two to three days from Demacia City, and eliminate them if the opportunity arose. Commander Garen Crownguard and a small portion of the Dauntless Vanguard were to follow as support three hours later. This backup was given without her knowledge so she would act normally and not assume they were there to clean up after any mistakes." Once more, Jarvan looked up from the file at Quinn. "Please present your mission report."

"Yes sir."

* * *

Just as before, it took Quinn a few hours to recount her mission with detail. Unlike when she told Garen, however, Jarvan was stoic as he listened. When she finished, Jarvan spent a moment, seemingly collecting his thoughts, before gesturing a guard over and saying something Quinn could not hear.

She looked over at Valor, who meet her gaze.  _And this is the part where we get arrested._

The guard left the room as Jarvan turned to Quinn. Thinking about possibly being arrested prevented Quinn from meeting his steely gaze.

"First off, congratulations on completing your mission successfully, Miss Venandi."

Not expecting this, it took Quinn a moment before she blurted out, "Thank you, sir."

"Now, with that said, even before the mission was given, Demacia Military Command was very unsure of where to place you within our military structure, should you be accepted." He got up from his seat and started pacing around the room, his arms folded behind his back. "Our entire military is one giant unit. We plan as a team, we fight as a team. We win battles as a team, we win wars as a team. Your skills are exceptional, and with a unique partner in Valor, you have capabilities and assets that are not common in the Demacian Army."

Stopping in front of Garen, Jarvan relaxed slightly. "However, you are clearly not a team player. You do not care for protocol, and either lack the respect, or the discipline, to show it to your superiors and peers. You work better with your partner in Valor, no doubt due to your communication with him that, frankly, I doubt few could learn. Like I said, that can be an asset, but in our military structure, we do not know where you could fit. Even as part of the Ranger-Generals, you would be required to act as part of a team, which are you not capable of doing at this moment."

Quinn could feel her stomach dropping to her ankles inch by inch with every word uttered by Prince Jarvan.

"The Demacia High Command admires your courage to come to Demacia City and enlist, but your petition was initially denied."

She raised an eyebrow at Jarvan. "What do you mean, initiallydenied?"

"She should be here soon to help explain that."

The door opened as the guard re-entered, a woman with short black hair following behind him. Covered in segmented leather armour with some metal plates on her arms and legs, she looked the part of a ranger. But that wasn't what caught Quinn's attention; as soon as she saw the woman's red eyes, her mind started reeling.

_I know her._ Quinn stood up.  _I've met her before._  Realization made her eyes go wide.  _Lestara._

"Thank you for joining us," Prince Jarvan said. "This is Lady Lestara Buvelle, captain of the Ranger-Generals."

Lestara smiled and walked up to Quinn, embracing the shocked girl. Quinn stood there, arms at her side, as Lestara whispered, "He knows about your brother's sacrifice," before releasing her. "Quinn Venandi, it is good to see you again."

"If I may?" Garen interjected.

Jarvan nodded.

"What business does she have in this? Miss Venandi isn't part of her troops yet. And how does Captain Buvelle know her?"

"I am here on request from Prince Jarvan," Lestara said, looking Garen square in the eye. "I met Quinn a few years ago while on a hunt around Uwendale. I can personally vouch for her skills, and petition for her assignment into the Ranger-Generals under my supervision."

"That is why she is here." A chair slid on the floor as Jarvan took his seat again. "As I said, Demacia Military Command denied your assignment to the army. Lady Lestara received the report about a new recruit applying for the Ranger-Generals, and talked to me personally about it. She has first-hand experience with Miss Venandi's skills and, as she said, vouches for her appointment into the army."

Garen jumped to his feet. "With all due respect, sir, I also have first-hand experience of Miss Venandi's skills, and they are much more recent than Lady Lestara's. She is skilled, that I cannot argue. But I also have first-hand experience in her lack of discipline and lack of respect. Sir, she trapped her own allies because she thought it would be fun, even though she could have seriously hurt or even killed a fellow soldier!"

A glare from Jarvan silenced Garen from any more. "Calm down, commander. We do not deal with 'what ifs' here. I heard the same report that you did. She has skills that will benefit Demacia. Yes, she is undisciplined and may show a lack of respect, but I feel that is more a side effect of her upbringing in rural Demacia than a conscious decision of rebellion. Her skills also speak more loudly in her favour. After all, she unknowingly took a three hour head-start and turned it into more than a day lead ahead of your soldiers, while also detecting you."

"The Dauntless Vanguard are not skilled in stealth, nor are we used to be tracked from above by birds, both of which were unfair advantages-"

"Both of which were tools that a soldier used to her advantage. I feel her positives will outweigh any detriments, and that this is a risk worth taking."

Quinn wasn't sure when she had held her breath, or when she had even sat back down, but that didn't matter to her at all.  _Is he..._

"Lady Lestara will take Miss Venandi under her wing, so to speak. She will answer to Demacia Military Command, and Lady Lestara has agreed to take full responsibility for any repercussions, whether that be in military service or in civilian settings."

Lestara smiled when Quinn looked at her. Valor did the same when she looked in his direction.  _This is really happening._

"Quinn Venandi. Stand please."

Seemingly in a dream state, she found herself on her feet.

"As Prince and Exemplar of Demacia, I appoint you a position as a Ranger-General under Lady Lestara Buvelle. For Demacia."

She just stood there, wide eyes fixed on Jarvan as her mouth refused to operate.

"Bow," Lestara whispered.

Quinn did that, and noticed that Valor did as well. "Thank you. Thank you sir."

"You are most welcome, soldier."

"As part of this agreement, and part of a suggestion I made," Lestara started, "I will take you to live in my estate where I can teach you much more than you will learn here. Your quarters are already prepared. I can escort you there immediately."

"Not immediately, Captain." Jarvan said. "I want a few moments alone with Miss Venandi. You are all dismissed. When we are done, I will have her escorted to your estate."

Lestara and Garen bowed before leaving the room, the four guards that were in the corners following. The door closed as Jarvan sat down. A moment passed before he let out a heavy sigh. "You don't like Garen, do you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You don't like Garen much, do you?"

Quinn nervously looked at Jarvan. "Well, he seems like a fine commander-"

"Quinn, relax. Sit down." He motioned to the chair, which Quinn sat on. "I want to talk to you for a moment not as the prince, but as a fellow soldier and Demacian. I would much appreciate it if you could just talk with me openly and honestly."

Looking at Valor, then back at Jarvan, she wasn't sure what to do. "I'm not sure that is the best idea for a new recruit to do."

"Quinn, I would rather not order you to speak freely and openly, but I will if I have to. I know the irony of such a statement, so I am asking it."

She swallowed. "Are you sure, sir?"

"Yes."

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Quinn took a moment.  _Well, screw it, I was part of the army, let's get kicked out._  "If I knew I was never to interact with Garen ever again for as long as I lived, I would sleep better tonight. Sir."

A chuckle soon followed. "I am almost certain that anybody who is new to the army shares that opinion. Garen is single-mindedly devoted to Demacia, and believe me, that is a good thing." Leaning back in his chair, Jarvan put his legs up on the table, relaxing. "That also means he does things by the book, and is quite inflexible. He is Demacia's champion for those reasons, as well as others."

"Do you want me to start acting like that?"

"Not in the slightest. Just because Demacia Military Command views him as the shining example of how a soldier should act, does not mean that I want every soldier like that."

Quinn gaze him puzzled look. "Sir?"

"Could you also just call me Jarvan for the moment? I am sick of hearing 'sir' at the end of every sentence."

Valor started walking on the table towards Quinn as she processed his words. "Alright. Jarvan."

A smile greeted her. "Thanks. I don't get an opportunity to do this often. Now, Lady Lestara did tell me about Uwendale. Out of respect, I won't ask about your brother."

Quinn took a hard swallow. "Thank you."

"But Lestara did not know about Valor at all. How did you meet this Demacian eagle?"

"Azurite eagle, actually," she corrected him. "A year after my brother, I met him. He saved me from a tuskvore that was going to kill me. He swooped in and saved my life." She smiled at the bird, who spread his wings and squawked. "Damn idiot nearly killed himself fighting that boar. I nursed him back to health, gave him the name Valor, and we've been arguing ever since."

"You seem to understand each other pretty well, considering he doesn't speak." Jarvan rubbed his chin. "Well, I am  _assuming_ he doesn't speak."

"Oh, bird brain here isn't smart enough to speak." Valor swung his wing as Quinn, just missing her. "Pretty sure birds can't talk."

"Don't be too certain on that," Prince Jarvan said.

Quinn raised an eyebrow.

"I've had conversations with dragons. I wouldn't be shocked if there is a talking bird out there."

"Really? A dragon?"

His feet went back to the floor with a thud. "Haven't you heard the rumours? She's in the army, and she has me ensnared in some kind of spell. Oh, and she secretly rules Demacia and eats anybody who stands in her way."

Quinn just stared at Jarvan. Was there actually a dragon in the Demacian army?

Another chuckle escaped his mouth. "That's the rumours anyways. But before I forget, I am curious: what does your last name mean?"

"I'm sorry?"

"It has to mean something. Some of us are a bit more literal, like Lightshield, or Crownguard. What does Venandi mean?"

"It means hunter. That's what Uwendale is, a village of hunters."

Jarvan nodded. "Quite an apt name. By Garen's and Lestara's accounts, it suits you perfectly." He leaned forward. "Unfortunately, our time grows short, and I need to end this soon. However, I want to ask something, and I want you to listen carefully to this request."

Quinn was taken aback by the sudden seriousness of the Prince's words. "I am listening."

"Demacia has been ruled and has been served by the same families for hundreds of years. The Lightshields have ruled, the Crownguards have protected, and the Laurent's and the Vayne's have served, as well as countless others. But there have always been traitors. And the longer they are in the ranks, the easier it is for them to go undetected."

Being unsure of what to say, Quinn nodded.

"You aren't accustomed to military life. You are from rural Demacia, and in my experience, those are some of the most trustworthy people. You, and Valor, only want to help Demacia."

"That's the plan."

"I love all Demacians." A heavy sigh followed. "But I would be naive to trust them all. Without a doubt, there are people in the military who feed information to other nations. That cannot be avoided; it's a fact of politics. But I believe somebody with more authority is acting to hurt Demacia, and may be in a position to seriously cripple it for either their own ends, or another nation's. I want to ask you to keep your ear to the ground and your eyes open, for me."

Nervousness struck Quinn once more. "But… Jarvan, I'm a hunter, a tracker. I'm no spy. I wouldn't even know what to look for."

"You would notice what our average soldier wouldn't, simply because you aren't from here." Jarvan put his hands up to stop her from speaking. "I'm not asking you to actively find them. I simply want to ask you to keep an eye out. You haven't been around here, so things we may dismiss as ordinary, you may catch." He smiled. "You may find traitors in places I never dreamed of, or you may never find one during your time here. I am simply asking you to keep your eyes open."

"Is this why you put me in the army? To be your eyes?"

"Partially. Don't get me wrong, I believe what I said about you being an asset for our army, outside of Demacia, and within. I want to protect Demacia, even if it's from itself."

"How do you know I'm not a spy?"

"It is entirely possible. But you were born in Uwendale, you met my father in a matter of speaking, and I have Lestara's word that she trusts you. It would take much to disregard her word about a person. She's a pretty good judge of character, I have found. If she believes you can help Demacia, then I believe it. You did come here to protect our nation, did you not?"

It was Quinn's turn to smile. "I did." She looked at Valor. "Well, what do you think? Should we help him?" Valor nodded quickly. "I'll try."

"That's all I ask for." Jarvan stood up and did a quick stretch. "I do not know when I will speak with you again, but best of luck. You are in good hands with Lestara." A hand was extended. "Welcome to the Demacian Army, Ranger-General."

She gripped the hand tightly. "Thank you." When the handshake ended, Valor immediately hopped closer to Jarvan and extended his wing. Jarvan chuckled, and shook it as well. "Take care of each other. Demacia's best strength has been people helping each other."

"When they aren't cheating each other?"

"As with any kingdom."

* * *

"This… uh… this seems excessive."

Valor nodded, perched on Quinn's shoulder once more.

When they had left Demacia Military Headquarters, they had been escorted with guards to Lady Lestara's estate. Once again, Quinn's mind was too afield to really register it, just like when they entered Demacia City, but it finally hit her when she entered the estate. She was relatively sure it wasn't as big as the headquarters, but the foyer didn't convince her.

A massive spiralling staircase dominated the entrance, with hallways going to the left and right on both floors. When heavy red drapes weren't adorning the marble walls, pictures of various men and women were.

"Lady Lestara and her daughter use much of the estate, Miss Venandi," a maid said as she approached. "What they do not use, us servants do. There are few unused rooms, and one of them has been prepared for you. Miss Buvelle had to depart the premises for a time, so I will show you to your quarters. Please follow me."

A moment of walking later, the maid opened a door, bowing slightly. "Your room. Make yourself at home."

Quinn took a few steps in as the maid left. "Okay, less excessive." Filled with a four poster bed, a desk with an inkwell, a nightstand, a couch, a table in front of said couch, a large blue rug...

"This room contains more than I've ever owned." She threw her duffle bag filled with all her possessions near the bed, then moved to the desk. A small drawer underneath contained paper and envelopes, which was exactly what Quinn wanted. She sat down, picking up the inkwell and swirling it around, making sure it hadn't solidified.

"Alright Valor. It's time."

Valor jumped onto the edge of the desk, bringing his left wing up to his beak.

"No, right wing. Need the curve on it." Valor slumped his shoulders. "This was your idea, bird." Her voice softened. "It's going to be harder for me."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, preparing herself mentally. She always planned to write a letter to her brother when she joined the army, assuming it ever happened, and it was Valor's idea to use one of his own feathers for it. It was symbolic, it was sentimental, and it was only making this more difficult.

Quinn forced herself to focus.  _It's only a letter to my brother. To tell him I made it. To thank him. Simple as that. No need to get emotional. Think of it as a mission report._ Her eyes started to water.  _To your brother… who sacrificed his life._

She looked at Valor, seeing his eyes full of sympathy as a feather was grasped in his beak. Tears started to form in her eyes as she took a couple deep breaths. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

He gave it to Quinn, setting his left wing on her shoulder. Quinn choked up a little. "You're not helping, Valor."

Taking a small knife, Quinn sharpened the quill to a point. She dipped it into the inkwell, then set the end to the paper. And froze.

"I don't know how to start this."

Valor quietly squawked, removing his left wing from her shoulders. He touched the tip of his wing to the paper, making a writing motion.

A tear ran off his feathers into the paper. "It's not that simple." He nudged her head, and wrote with his wing again. She chuckled, scratching his head. "Okay, okay, I'll just start writing." Another tear dropped. "If I can see the paper."

_Dear Caleb,_

_Brother, we did it. We were accepted into Demacia's army. I say we because this was your dream. When you saw King Jarvan the Third, that parade, that absolutely ridiculous parade._

More tears hit the paper.

_I remember your smile. It lit up, well, you lit up. I'm sure the king saw it. You even said he looked at you and smiled. I said you were full of it, but I knew you were telling the truth. I was just being the sister I needed to be._

More tears hit, blotting the ink as Quinn smiled.

_Somebody had to keep you grounded._

Valor nudged Quinn, doing what he could to console her. She chuckled. "This is going to be the messiest letter ever." She wiped her face, trying to eliminate a few tears. "Good thing he won't see this." She dipped Valor's feather into the inkwell, and set it to paper once more.

_I am part of the Demacian Army now, but I don't know if you would like it. A lot of them are jerks, and Commander Garen has a stick so far up his ass I doubt he can bend over. But there are some hidden gems. Jarvan, the king's son, is nice and relaxed when he can be. He is a good reason to fight for Demacia. And Lady Lestara._

More tears fell to the paper. It was getting quite difficult to see what she was writing, and it probably did not reflect her usual great penmanship, but if she stopped now, she doubted she could continue.

_You saved Lestara. You dove in when she was to die, even though you probably knew you would instead. Was that what it took to make your dream happen? You had to die for it to be reality? Maybe that was our fate_ _. You dying to save Lestara, so she could live and get me into the army. Maybe that's how it had to be._

As quickly as possible, she dipped the quill into the inkwell to continue.

_It was so hard after you left, trying to just live. You probably seen the wreck that I was. Maybe it was you that sent Valor. Did you send him to save me from myself?_ _I guess I'll never know, he never tells me anything._

Valor nudged, followed by a small squawk. Quinn laughed as a couple more tears hit the paper. "If I don't make fun of you, you'd be suspicious." His wing gently landed on her writing hand, bringing forth a smile. "Okay, I'll finish it. I think I'm running out of water anyways."

_Thank you brother. Whether you sent Valor or not, I know you watch over me. I love you. Take care of yourself._

Placing the quill down, she quickly rolled the letter up, doing her best not to read it; enough tears had been shed already. She leaned back, pushing the chair away from the desk, letting the tears stream down her face. She was not a fan of this loss of control, but she also knew it was necessary from time to time to get rid of it.

Valor hopped into her lap, snuggling against her chest. He was rather good at reading emotions. Quinn hugged him.

"Thank you Valor. Always know I'll put my life on the line for you, as I know you'll put yours on the line for me." He let out a soft noise, an agreement. "You know I don't say it much, but thank you."

She released him, and he leaned back. She wiped her face again, able to almost see normally once more.

"Let's get some sleep."


	4. Chapter 4

"Yes, I see the sun is shining. I have eyes, you know."

_Squawk._

"I don't always know what you're thinking. So sue me. What's up?"

Valor looked at the window, then brought the tips of his wings together and separated them.

"Making me do all the work." She shuffled to the window, pushing it open.

Valor smiled, jumping onto the ledge. His back to Quinn, he spread his wings, but only about half way before the frame impeded his action.

"Could you not figure that out beforehand? Your wingspan is about my height. Clearly the window wasn't going to be big enough." Valor glared back at her over his shoulder. "Go ahead. Tell me you knew beforehand. You didn't think of it, did you?"

Valor opened his mouth to make a sound, but kept silent and turned his head back around.

"Ha." Quinn approached the window and looked out over the eagle's head. "On a serious note, we're only about four feet up. If you have to jump out, won't you just hit the ground?"

"You have a very interesting relationship with your bird, Miss Venandi."

Both of them turned towards the door to see Lestara standing there. "Excuse me, I knocked a couple times and didn't hear an answer. I heard speaking and assumed that it wasn't the bird."

"Yeah, just trying to explain to bird-brain that he'll probably hit the ground before being able to fly out of the window. You'd think a bird would know that, so he's either an idiot, which is highly likely-" Valor headbutted Quinn in the back. "-or he's playing me for a fool."

Lestara walked towards them. "Is it possible you aren't reading him right?"

"Oh, it's possible, though we've worked hard to understand each other. It's not perfect, but it's works."

"You've had better luck than I've had with my daughter. It's hard to have a conversation when she can't make a sound."

Quinn grew somber. "I'm sorry. What happened?"

"There's no need to apologize. She was born mute. I adopted her when she was young, after my husband died. She may not speak, but certainly you have heard of her skill with an etwahl."

"A what now?"

"Think of it as a portable harp. She can bring forth emotions with her music. She is here, so you get to meet the famous Maven of the Strings, Sona."

Quinn stared. "Who?"

"Sona Buvelle? Headlines massive concerts? Makes the most stoic of people weep from the beauty of her music? Rumour has it she made General Swain of Noxus cry for hours from her performance."

Quinn shrugged her shoulders. "Doesn't ring a bell."

Lestara raised an eyebrow as she sat on the bed. "Well, maybe she'll have to do some shows in smaller areas. For charity or something." She put her hands down, then stood up, looking at the bed. Walking around the bed, she asked Quinn, "Why are the sheets on the floor?"

"Couldn't sleep. I didn't know beds came that soft. Felt like I was sinking when I closed my eyes."

"That's easy to rectify, Miss Venandi."

"Please, call me Quinn. I'm definitely not civilized enough to be called Miss anything. I slept on the floor after all." Her eyes went wide. "Oh god I didn't even bathe or wash last night. I would keep your distance. No way they don't have a funky smell."

Lestara chuckled. "We have maids for that sort of thing. That gives us some matters to discuss over breakfast. It should be ready soon, if you would accompany me?"

"Okay. I think that's what Valor was working on with the window anyways." Quinn turned around to find the window frame empty of the eagle. Looking out of it, she saw Valor sprawled on the ground. A heavy sigh followed as she looked back at Lestara. "Give me a couple minutes and I'll join you."

"I will meet you there."

As Lestara walked out of the room, Quinn looked out the window and sighed. "Told you so, but would you listen? Noooooooo. Now pick yourself up off the ground and let's go grab some grub. Oh, and if you broke your neck, it's your own damn fault."

* * *

After retrieving Valor, it took Quinn several minutes of wandering before she found the dining room. A twenty-seat table centered the room, below an extensive candelabra that lit the area. Red velvet adorned the table, with a candle every couple seats to provide even more light. Lestara was at the head of the table, and stood up as Quinn entered.

"Glad you could make it."

"I may have gotten lost on the way."

A woman to Lestara's left seemed to float into a standing position as her blue eyes met Quinn's own. A very well-endowed chest, and everything below, was covered in a blue dress that ran all the way to the floor. Quinn could do little but stare at the beautiful woman with the very long blue hair.

"Allow me to introduce you to Sona Buvelle, my daughter. Sona, this is Quinn Venandi, our guest for the foreseeable future."

She bowed in Quinn's direction, a faint smile forming as their guest kept eyes on her.

"She's beautiful..." Quinn whispered.

Sona raised an eyebrow, but kept her smile.

"Ignore that." Quinn shook her head and bowed in return, feeling strangely at ease, despite the comment. "It's nice to meet you, Sona. How are you?"

"Sona is mute," Lestara said. "She can't answer."

"Right, sorry. I feel very… content around her."

"She has a calming influence. Now if you would take your seat, the food will be out soon."

"You mind if I invite Valor? I forgot to ask, and I don't know your policy on birds at the table."

Lestara chuckled. "Usually birds at the table involve rosemary and thyme. I suppose the only way to make a policy is with experience, so please, invite him in."

A quick whistle sounded from Quinn's lips as she took her seat. A moment later, Valor hobbled into the room. "Sona, this is Valor. Valor, Sona." He walked over to her and scooped her hand up with his wing as he gently pecked it, mimicking a kiss of the hand.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Typical. Show him a hot girl and he becomes a gentleman."

He walked around the table to Quinn's side, jumped onto the back of the chair next to her, and promptly tipped it over.

Quinn let out a heavy sigh as she righted the chair. "You literally just did this yesterday. Stand on the seat."

He jumped onto the seat.

"Good boy. Stay." Valor gave Quinn a venomous glare. "Please, you deserve it." She looked up to see both Lestara and Sona giggling, though only Lestara made the sound.

"Quite a friendship," Lestara said as servants wheeled food carts into the room. "Before I forget to mention, I have to leave in two days for business, so take time while you eat to think of any pressing matters you wish to ask me. Bad timing, unfortunately. I will make sure you are properly settled before my absence."

A maid wheeled a cart beside Quinn before setting a covered platter in front of her. Cutlery was set to the side before the lid was taken off the platter. "Eggs Benedict, Miss Venandi. Enjoy."

Quinn looked at the meal and felt her mouth water immediately. Steam still rose from the poached eggs, and she could smell the creaminess of the hollandaise sauce smothering the dish. She couldn't wait to dig in.

Until she happened to glance upon Valor. His eyes were wide and his beak was open in shock at the dish. Suddenly, the meal lost some of its luster.

"Oh," Lestara said. "I'm sorry, I didn't really think this through."

"It's okay, I just don't eat eggs. After I met Valor, I decided that it might be a tad insensitive to do, for obvious reasons."

"I can have the chef cook you something different."

"We would enjoy that."

* * *

After a change of meals to bacon and potatoes, as well as some beef for Valor, the staff cleared the table and left the three women alone. Sona rose quickly, however, giving Quinn and Lestara a slight bow before leaving the room.

"How was the meal?" Lestara asked.

"Excellent. I think I had forgotten what the taste of food covered in herbs was like. We eat pretty simple fare, Valor and I."

"The menu can be adjusted accordingly. As for your sleeping arrangements, I can get you a stiffer mattress. Is there anything else?"

"Well, if you don't mind me asking, how big is this… estate? Manor?"

"Six hectares."

"Do you have a little bit of forest somewhere on the land?"

"It's tiny, but yes. Do you want a cottage built out there?"

"No, no, nothing like that. We're just used to being surrounded by trees, looking at the stars. It's how we've been for a couple years now, and we're comfortable like that. Plus, feathers-for-brains can't jump out of windows that way." Valor looked away, a huff escaping his beak. "We're simple when it comes to sleep, although we wouldn't mind some rain cover."

"We can accommodate that, I'm sure. Anything else on your mind?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I want to make you as comfortable as possible."

"No, I mean w _hy_?" Quinn motioned around her. "Why all of this? I would have had quarters with the military, food and board provided, everything already set up. Why bring me here and give me anything I want?"

"Caleb." Lestara stood up, beginning to walk around the table. "Because of your brother. I led that hunt near Uwendale, I led good women and men to death that day because we didn't know about the tuskvore." She stopped beside Quinn, looking her in the eye. "We didn't have the weapons to deal with its hide, or the armour to deal with its tusks. We fought, but we all knew we were dead."

She reached out, putting her hand on Quinn's shoulder. "Then, an arrow came out of nowhere, piercing its hide. We watched as this young boy came out, spear in hand, distracting the beast while a young girl took aim in the bushes with her bow. They couldn't kill it, but they distracted it with their attacks. You didn't hesitate to help us get out, and he sacrificed himself. I couldn't do anything then except promise to help if you ever asked. So now, I won't hesitate to give you anything you may need. Caleb Venandi saved my life. The least I can do is help his sister succeed."

Quinn felt her cheeks heat up as Lestara spoke. She looked away. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize… I don't remember the promise. I don't remember much after that, not until Valor."

"You were dealing with tragedy. It's okay." Lestara sat down beside her. "Let's change the subject. How did you two meet?"

"That actually doesn't change the subject much." Quinn took a deep breath. There were parts of that day she didn't care for. "It was a year after. I went back, to… well, I don't even know. I just went back to that place. I was lost without him. He wasn't just my brother, he was my partner. I sat there, where he fell, wondering what to do, how to move on. That's when the tuskvore returned."

"Another one? Maybe we need a hunting party to cull the numbers."

"No, it wasn't another one. It was the same… it still had broken shafts in his hide, still had Caleb's spear marks." Valor had walked over, settling close to Quinn as she spoke. "It knew, the second it looked at me. It remembered me. When I looked into its eyes, I relived Caleb's death, and it terrified me." Valor put a wing on her shoulder as Quinn shuddered. "I remember the fear making my adrenaline pump, but after that, everything was hazy when he charged. I know I fired my bow, but I don't remember doing it. My heart was racing as it charged me over and over as I fired and dodged. I never pierced its hide, never did any real damage. I wasn't focused enough to land an effective blow. One charge, it finally caught me with its tusk." She pulled at her shirt collar, showing the tip of a wide scar at her collarbone. "From here to my hip. It knew I was too injured to finish it off."

"You faced your death in fear."

Quinn shook her head. "I didn't. Everything cleared up then. The tuskvore circled around, looked me in the eye again, and I knew it was going to charge for the kill. I knew I was going to die from the same boar that killed my brother. There wasn't anything to fear anymore. The tuskvore wasn't injured, and I was. There was no walking away. I was calm, and I was ready for death. Until an eagle swooped down and started attacking, distracting it."

Lestara looked at Valor. "He just came out of nowhere and saved you?"

"Yeah." Quinn smiled at her feathered companion. "He raked it, pecked at it, getting it to focus on him, giving me the moment to strike. When its mouth opened, I fired. My bowstring snapped, and the arrow pierced its brain. It died, but Valor wasn't too good either. He was bleeding badly, and had a broken wing too." Quinn put on hand on top of Valor's wing. "When I picked him up, I saw a kinship in his eyes, like what I saw when I looked into Caleb's eyes. I found another partner. I told him I could tell how much valour he had, and the name stuck. I bound his wing, grabbed the tuskvore, and somehow made it home."

"That's an incredible story."

Quinn took a couple deep breaths before continuing. "It seems like a lifetime ago. My father made a repeating crossbow from the tusks, and I started to train with Valor. It was Caleb's dream to be a team, to fight for Demacia. We lost that when he died, but I got it back when Valor saved me."

"Killing the tuskvore let you move on."

"No, killing didn't let me move forward. Finding Valor-" He poked her with his wing. "Okay, Valor finding me let me move forward. He saved me in more ways than one. I certainly owe him, though instead of me helping him, he ends up following me around. I'll take it. It's just too bad he has a big ego problem."

Valor puffed up his chest and flexed his wings in a comical display.

"He could at least learn some subtlety," Quinn said.

A maid walked in, stopping Lestara from replying. "Excuse me, Miss, but your guest has arrived."

Lestara nodded as the maid exited. "I need to attend to my guest concerning the Ranger-General conference in two days. We talked for longer than anticipated."

"The business trip is a Ranger-General conference? Then shouldn't I be a part of it?"

"Believe me, I'm doing you a favour on this one." Lestara stood up, smiling. "I would rather you get situated and set up here rather than worry about official duties yet. When I return we can get you going in those matters. Now, please excuse me."

* * *

Four days after the breakfast conversation, and two days since Lestara had left on her business, the armourer summoned Quinn. Walking down the street, she was both excited and nervous to see what had been crafted.

"I hope she got the basic idea," Quinn muttered. Valor, perched on her shoulder, nodded his head.

Trying to explain how she wanted the armour to move and look without knowing the craftswoman had been challenging to say the least. Plus, Maureen, the armourer, had seemed more interested in Valor then the actual smithing.

"She may not be proper," Lestara had assured her. "But she is a master of her art. She will make it better than you expect, and think of things you never thought of, so don't worry. I will see you in a week."

Quinn didn't doubt the words; she just wanted to see proof. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the shop.

"Bird Lady! Get in here!" Seeing the fair-skinned woman behind the counter, covered in soot, excitedly wave her into the shop certainly made Quinn feel at ease. Maureen looked at the man on the other side of the counter. "Craig, get out! Another time."

"But I was here first!"

Maureen quickly rounded the counter and physically started to push him out the door. "I said out, Craig!" she said. Despite the loud voice and handling of the customer, she didn't come across as rude when she shoved him out the door and slammed it behind him.

Quinn stared at her.

"Oh don't worry about it, he does nothing but look and get repairs on his old armour, he never buys a new set."

"I heard that!" a male said from the other side.

"I'm not saying anything that isn't truth," Maureen shouted back.

"I'll start shopping at Ross' shop!"

"Yeah right, you know they won't put up with your old piece of tin!"

Grumbling and footsteps quickly dwindled in sound outside the door. Maureen looked at Quinn with proud green eyes and a beaming smile.

"So, having a good day?" Quinn said.

"Hell yes I am. Always a good day when you complete two sets of armour for a customer!"

Quinn walked past the displayed leather and steel armour sets. "Somebody else have an order as well?"

"Don't you worry about them. Come in back and try your set on!"

A few moments later, Quinn had her new armour on and was standing in front of a mirror wall.

A full-body dark blue jumpsuit covered her from neck to toe, with a leather breastplate adding more protection. Golden metal greaves protected her lower legs with metal kneecaps just above them. Another golden metal piece was on her left shoulder in the form of a small pauldron, which Quinn didn't quite understand, but it looked good.

Her left hand was bare, which she had specified so she could use her crossbow freely. Her right hand, however, had a leather gauntlet with a piece of metal that stretched her entire forearm, the width of her arm, almost like a perch. A short blue cape stretched down to her waist, segmenting into gold-bordered tails, which resembled the blue and gold feathers of Valor.

The last piece was a rather elaborate way to keep hair from her eyes and protect her head: a helm, also of gold colour, covered her forehead and her cheekbones, but kept her ears and head exposed for heat and hearing. It was protective, but functional as well.

"Went a little crazy with the blue and gold didn't you?"

"It's Demacia's colours. Valor's too. Or, technically, Valor's, then Demacia's."

"What's with the shield gauntlet? And the shoulder guard?"

Maureen smiled excitedly. "Let me go through the details. The full leather breastplate shouldn't hinder you, but tell me if it does. The metal shin pads won't slow your movement and shouldn't make any noise. The metal on your right arm is a solid perch for Valor to be on, but I put the metal pauldron on the left to give Valor another option. I do suppose the perch could be used as a shield as well, in a pinch. I made it pretty solid. Which I already said."

Valor nodded, making Quinn shake her head. "You don't say a thing and you still end up changing the armour. Damn bird."

"If you spread your arms," which Quinn did, "you'll see the short cape looks kind of like a set of wings. Hopefully that's close to what you had in mind."

"It is."

"Awesome! The blue body suit is standard cotton, nothing special. The helmet was trickier to make. If you find it blocks any vision, let me know and we'll make adjustments."

"This looks great, Maureen. I'll hit the practice range, test it out, and come back tomorrow to let you know?"

The blacksmith let out a winning smile. "Oh, we're not done yet! Can I borrow Valor?"

Quinn raised an eyebrow as Valor flew over and landed on an anvil. Maureen ducked into another room and brought out a small metal breastplate and began to strap it to the eagle. "I told you I finished two sets! Valor will look majestic with this golden breastplate going into battle!"

"I have never seen a woman so excited about bird armour before in my life."

"I'll assume I'm the only one, so that works. It was tricky to measure a bird-"

"Excuse me!" a shout interrupted. "Is Quinn Venandi here?"

The three of them reentered into the shop proper. They were met by a man in plate armour with a long pony tail of black hair.

Maureen smiled at the man. "Xin Zhao, what brings you here?"

Xin Zhao bowed in response. "I am sorry to be rude, but I need to bring Quinn and Valor with me to military headquarters. I was told she was here."

Quinn stepped forward. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing too important, but it would be best if the matter was dealt with quickly. Please follow me."

* * *

Led into the military headquarters by Xin Zhao, Quinn and Valor were directed into a small room where Jarvan the Fourth stood armourless.

"Prince Jarvan? What are you doing here?" Quinn turned to her escort. "I thought this wasn't important."

"The deception was necessary."

Jarvan walked up to her. "You got your armour. You'll need it. Xin Zhao, guard the door. Nobody comes in."

The spear-wielder nodded, "Yes sir," he said as he exited.

"Who was that guy?" Quinn asked.

"My most trusted ally. Now, Quinn Venandi, you are sworn to secrecy here. If you speak of this to anybody, you will be tried and executed for treason. Do you understand?"

Quinn sat down in a slight state of confusion, and nodded her head. Last time they had talked, he had been calm and friendly. Was this what he was usually like?

"The commander at Fort Janelle was assassinated a couple of hours ago. We believe the culprit is a Noxian assassin named Talon, and he is headed towards the Golden Crossing. Quinn Venandi and Valor, you are to track the assassin down and bring him back to Demacia City for public execution. If you cannot keep him alive, you are authorized to terminate him. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"This cannot be a coincidence. He kills a commander as the Rangers are unavailable. Then, he taunts us by leaving a note saying he is headed to the Golden Crossing. He knows no army could follow in that narrow corridor. He has information that no Noxian should have. Somebody has betrayed us. There is no way you would have that knowledge, so I am sending you."

"I'm the only option?"

"Best, and yes, only. You've been in the army for five days. Nobody knows you exist outside of Demacia. The assassin believes all the Rangers are unavailable. He thinks he is safe. I want you to prove him wrong."

"Then, sir, give me a horse."


End file.
